


Vulnerable

by Yacoba



Series: WING-0 [5]
Category: Gundam Wing
Genre: F/M, Hurt/Comfort, no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-08
Updated: 2021-03-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:08:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29924937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yacoba/pseuds/Yacoba
Summary: A collection of short stories for LoveReflection’s March Madness challenge (2021)Prompt #4 “That is my least vulnerable spot” - Casablanca (1942)
Relationships: Relena Peacecraft/Heero Yuy
Series: WING-0 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2189370
Comments: 12
Kudos: 14
Collections: Love Reflection March Madness (2021)





	Vulnerable

Heero’s eyes scanned the grounds, the cadence of Relena’s speech washing over him in a strangely comforting way. He’d discovered it didn’t matter what topic she was speaking about, he appreciated the sound of her voice. As his eyes continued their careful sweep, he’d been against this location form the start, Heero’s sharp focus caught a glint off in the distance. He could have dismissed it as nothing, but instinct told him it was a deadly mistake.

Without hesitation Heero burst into action, “Get down!” He shouted, throwing himself towards Relena and the podium, putting himself in the snipers direct line of fire.

Heero heard the screams of panic, in the same instant he felt the searing pain drive through his chest. It wasn’t until seconds later, though it felt closer to minutes, that he heard the report of the rifle.

* * *

There was a cacophony of noise surrounding him, voices and electronic’s screaming. And there was pain, but only one thought occurred to him, Relena! He tried to move, tried desperately to see, but as the noises around him became more panicked, Heero was no closer to understanding or reassuring himself that she lived.

* * *

_Beep....beep....beep...._

Sound filtered through the first stages of waking for Heero, and he carefully dissected them for their meanings.

_Beep....beep....beep...._

Heart monitor, check. For some reason Heero found himself surprised that he had a heart that was still beating strongly in his chest. So much so that the noise of it didn’t actually annoy him for once.

He heard the metallic clink of a curtain being drawn open than shut as someone moved towards the bed on which he lay. Heero cracked open an eye a fraction to see who this newcomer was, and wasn’t the least bit surprised to see it was Sally.

“You’re awake ahead of schedule,” she said looking down at him with a slightly relieved smile. Sally fitted a stethoscope to her ears and leaned over Heero, placing the diaphragm over his heart.

Heero’s eyes followed her right hand towards his chest, seeing that he was laying covered to the waist in a hospital bed, with nothing but bandages on his chest. Seeing them, brought feeling with it, and he winced as pain rushed into the void unconsciousness had briefly left. And with the pain, came the memory, and Heero’s body tried to leap up on the bed.

“...Lena...” he gasped her name, the heart monitor off to his left striking up a frantic tell of his own panic.

“Easy, Heero,” Sally said, her free hand going to his left shoulder to keep him laying flat. “That bullet came dangerously close to your heart,” she said still continuing her exam.

“Relena...” he managed to say, knowing even as weak as his voice was Sally couldn’t miss hearing with the added help of the stethoscope.

Sally kept a restraining hand on Heero, “She’s fine,” the doctor assured, “desperately worried about you,” Sally added with a stern look.

Heero felt his energy drain away at the news. He didn’t want to give in to exhaustion until he’d laid eyes on her for himself, but his weak struggles against Sally’s hand finally ceased.

The doctor pulled the stethoscope down around her neck and looked at Heero with a very critical eye. “Just because you’ve erected barriers around that heart of yours doesn’t make it bullet proof,” she said with a stern voice. “You know there was a time when even I considered that your least vulnerable spot...”

Heero stared at the doctor in confusion, but Sally only smiled down at him and pressed the call button on the bed rail. A second later the curtain around Heero’s bed was being drawn aside to admit Relena into the secluded space. Vaguely Heero was aware of the heart monitor dancing to a faster tune again, as Relena stepped to the other side of the bed.

“Yeah,” Sally said, with a slight chuckle to herself as she looked at them. “Definitely not, your least vulnerable spot now,” and with that she stepped outside the curtain.

“Relena,” he said her name, cursing how weak his voice still sounded.

She came to his side, and Heero could see the tears that still clung to her lashes as she looked down at him, taking his hand. “You nearly died,” Relena breathed her eyes staring at his hand in hers and not his face. “I can’t take this,” she almost whispered.

Heero eyed her, feeling confusion and he tried to squeeze her hand with his but it took a conscious effort. Relena released a slight sob, as her pale watery eyes finally looked to his face. “I can’t watch you die,” she said fiercely.

“I didn’t...” he pointed out, wanting to shift on the bed so he could comfort her.

“You could have,” she said, and she sounded angry.

Heero didn’t know what to make of her reaction, “I...saved your life...” he said slowly, his mouth suddenly painfully dry.

“By trying to throw yours away?” Relena asked rather flatly.

He stared at her. How could she think he’d tried to throw his away? He’d needed to save her, that was the only thought he’d had in the moment. Protect Relena, no matter the cost, she had to be saved.

Relena put his hand down, and gripped the bed rail tightly, “I can’t bear the responsibility, I can’t accept your needing to die to protect me.” Relena’s shoulders shook with her tears.

“I’m not trying to die,” Heero forced the words out as firmly as he could possibly make them.

“Do you value my life more than yours?” she asked looking fiercely into his eyes, as the tears trailed down her face.

Heero put all his effort into raising his right hand, needing to be in contact with Relena. He wanted more than anything to be out of this bed. “I...” he swallowed against a lump that suddenly caught in his throat.

Looking at their lives with a practical eye, Heero knew Relena’s automatically held more value than his. She was needed by the world, while he could vanish and no one would notice his absence, except perhaps Relena. But was that why he’d done what he did? Why he’d pushed her aside and willingly took the bullet meant for her?

“I love you,” he forced out at last, unsure if that was even an answer to her question.

Relena blinked at him, a broken sob escaping her, and Heero was positive he’d said the wrong thing. Relena reached out a shaking hand towards his face, her own head coming ever closer to his. She looked deeply into his eyes, “Don’t wait until you’re injured to tell me that again,” she cried softly.

**Author's Note:**

> A big thank you to the_black_rose for sparking me to consider a different path to the end of this story!


End file.
